[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource GamesPress.]

Take up the blessed arms and impenetrable shield of the mighty
Crusader and explore the world of Sanctuary like never before

PARIS, France—March 25, 2014— The time
has come for the greatest heroes of the mortal realm to answer the
call to arms and join the crusade against death itself.
Diablo
® III: Reaper of Souls
™ is now live and ready to challenge Windows
® and Mac
® gamers around the world.

In
Reaper of Souls, the five valiant heroes from
Diablo III—Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch
Doctor, and Wizard—are joined by a new champion: the
Crusader. Clad head to toe in fortified armor, the Crusader is an
unstoppable force of righteous destruction who channels the power
of divine wrath to visit retribution upon his demonic quarry.

Reaper of Souls adds a challenging new act to
DiabloIII in which players will embark on a dark and perilous
journey through terrifying landscapes; explore the legendary city
of Westmarch; and slay countless minions, each hell-bent on
bringing their heroic quest to a grisly end. The adventure
culminates in a climactic confrontation with Malthael, the Angel of
Death, whose twisted designs spell ruin for the innocent people of
Sanctuary.

“Together with the new loot experience we added to the
game,
Reaper of Souls improves on
Diablo III in countless ways,” said Mike Morhaime,
CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Players
returning to Sanctuary will find a darker, more engaging, and much
more rewarding experience awaiting them.”

(more)

A recent free update to
Diablo III on Windows and Mac introduced a host of new
game features, including o blo III players a f Reaper of Souls, all
Diablo III players the expansiona major revamp of the game’s
loot system, an expanded Paragon progression system for max-level
characters, and expanded social tools in the form of Clans and
Communities. With the purchase of
Reaper of Souls, players will gain access to game-changing
new features and highly replayable content, including:

· Act V:
A dark and terrifying chapter sending players on a final
confrontation with death itself

· The
Crusader: A new playable hero—a veritable war machine made
human

· Level
Cap to 70: Formidable new spells and abilities that take players to
new heights of power

·
Adventure Mode: A new game mode that gives players the freedom to
go anywhere and slay anything

·
Bounties: Randomized objectives that reward players in new ways for
exploring Sanctuary

· The
Mystic: A powerful new artisan who provides heroes with
loot-customization options

All of this new content comes with the
Reaper of Souls Standard Edition (available in physical
and digital versions), which players can purchase at a suggested
retail price of £32.99. Players also have the option to
upgrade to the Digital Deluxe Edition (SRP £49.99), which
contains a wealth of in-game bonuses:

·
Exclusive helm- and weapon-transmogrification recipes for players
to distinguish their characters among the champions of
Sanctuary

· A
Spectral Hound minion players can summon to keep their adventurers
company on their epic journey

· Three
additional character slots to accommodate new heroes

· A
World of Warcraft
® in-game companion pet, the Treasure Goblin,
ready to compete in Pet Battles

The
Reaper of Souls retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition
comes fully-equipped with all of the bonus items from the Digital
Deluxe Edition and also includes a gorgeous full-color hardcover
art book, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set, and a mouse
pad bearing the impenetrable visage of Malthael, the Angel of
Death. The Collector’s Edition is available at select
retailers for a suggested retail price of £64.99. Players
should check their local retailer for details and availability, as
supplies are limited.

As an added bonus, anyone who buys
Reaper of Souls will receive one or more Expert Card Packs
(depending on which version of the expansion is purchased) for
Blizzard Entertainment’s recently launched digital strategy
card game,
Hearthstone
™: Heroes of Warcraft
™. Read
this blog post for further
details.

(more)

Reaper of Souls is available for purchase in retail stores
throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New
Zealand, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, as well as
digitally around the world via the game’s official website (
http://www.diablo3.com/reaper). The expansion
will launch in Russia and the CIS, and at retail stores in Mexico,
Chile, and Brazil, on April 15.
Reaper of Souls has been fully localized in English,
German, French, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, Korean,
Traditional Chinese, Russian, Italian, Polish, and Brazilian
Portuguese.

For more information on
Reaper of Souls for Windows and Mac and to purchase your
copy, visit
http://www.diablo3.com/reaper. With multiple
games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions
currently available—visit
http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and
to learn how to apply.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft
® and the Warcraft
®, StarCraft
®, and Diablo
® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (
www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision
Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of
entertainment software renowned for creating some of the
industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard
Entertainment’s track record includes sixteen #1-selling
games
* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The
company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net
®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions
of active players.

*Based on internal company records and reports from key
distribution partners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:
Information in this press release that involves Blizzard
Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies
regarding the future, including statements about scheduled release
dates
, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and
involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could
cause Blizzard Entertainment's actual future results to differ
materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements
set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and
other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision
Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any
subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking
statements in this release are based upon information available to
Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of
this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision
Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when
made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not
guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or
Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and
other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause
actual results to differ materially from current expectations.